Flat bottom bag with handle

Abstract

A tubular sleeve is shaped with a pair of opposing faces, a pair of opposing side walls, and a lowermost terminal edge. Double gussets are simultaneously formed on each opposing side walls of the shaped sleeve inward betweem the pair of opposing faces of the shaped sleeve and defining substantially square corners at intersection of the longitudinal ribs of the shaped sleeve and the lowermost terminal edge of the shaped sleeve. The square corners of the shaped sleeve are relieved and removed to form a flat bottom. A pair of handles are unitarily formed and integral with the frontal faces extending over the open top of bag.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A plastic shopping bag compising a tubular sleeve having an open top, a closed bottom, a pair of opposing frontal faces and a pair of opposing side walls connecting said frontal faces, each of said side walls being provided with at least one pair of gussets formed of alternating longitudinal ribs and folds allowing the sleeve to be compactly folded for and when in used opened and distended to provide a wide mouth, a plurality of uniformly spaced ribs disposed along the bottom, of said sleeve from the bottom edge to a selected distance distance upwardly therefrom; the corners of said bottom walls portions being bounded by an angled line intersecting the bottom edge and side walls being removed therefrom along a tapered line, and said bottom edge and side walls sealingly joined so that when the sleeve is opened the bottom wll is raised into the plane of the inersection of the angled line and the side walls, forming a flat bottom wall comprising that portion of frontal faces and side walls containing said strengthening means and have the side walls extended extended perpendicularly thereto, and distended to provide a wide-mouth self-sustaining walls and bag extending perpendicularly to the bottom wall.  
     
     
         2 . The bag according to  claim 1  reinforced with transversly directed ribs and sealing blocks strengthening the bottom wall when said sleeve is opened.  
     
     
         3 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein said handle is formed integratedly and unitarily with said bag.  
     
     
         4 . The bag according to  claim 1  wherein said bottom is reinforced with transversely directed ribs and sealing blocks and provided with angular cuts adjacent to the intersection of the bottom and the side walls, relieving the corners of said bag, said corners being removed and the adjacent edges sealed together forming the flat bottom.  
     
     
         5 . The bag according to  claim 3  wherein the corners of said bag and the terminal end of the side walls form a laterally extending portion from the bottom wall when said bag is opened.  
     
     
         6 . The bag according to  claim 4  wherein said end walls balloon outwardly when said bag is cross-sectional area.  
     
     
         7 . A method of making a flat bottom plastic shopping bag having handles comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a unitary tubular sleeve;    (b) shaping said unitary tubular sleeve with a pair of opposing faces, a pair of opposing faces, a pair of opposing side walls, and a lowermost terminal edge;    (c) simultaneously forming 
 i. double gussets on each opposing side wall inwardly between said pair of opposing faces so as to form alternating longitudinal folds;  
 ii. at least two handles joined to the opposing frontal faces and extending over the open top;  
   (d) removing the triangular flaps forming the corner of the lowest terminal edge sealing said terminal edges so as to define a flat closed bottom.    
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 6  wherein said handles are formed by cutting the tubular sleeve spaced from the open inwardly from said side walls to a point spaced from the center of said frontal faces.  
     
     
         9 . The method as defined in  claim 6  wherein said tubular sleeve is formed from a flat plastic sheet by joining the edges of said plastic sheet along a longitudinal line  
     
     
         10 . A plastic shopping bag comprising a tubular sleeve having an open top, a closed bottom, a pair of opposing frontal faces and a pair of opposing side walls connecting said frontal faces. each of said side walls being provided with at least one pair of gussets formed of alternating longitudinal ribs and folds allowing the sleeve to be compactly folded for storage and when in use opened and distended to provide a wide mouth, and a flat bottom, said bag being unitarily formed with at least two handles joined to the frontal faces and extended across the open top between the frontal faces.  
     
     
         11 . The bag according to  claim 10 , wherein said handle is formed integratedly and unitarily with said bag.  
     
     
         12 . The bag according to  claim 10 , wherein said bottom is reinforced with transversely directed ribs and sealing blocks, and provided with angular cuts adjacent to the intersection of the bottom and the side walls, relieving the corners of said bag, said corners being removed and the adjacent edges sealed together forming the flat bottom.